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Stuff: Stephen King’s Musical (No, Not Carrie, Don’t Worry) and More…

Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson is such a badass that Randall Flagg wouldn't think to mess with him.

Movie news sites give you a lot of information. But it is a lot of information. Don’t you just wish you could find out what you actually need to know and leave the rest alone? Never fear, we are here. Well, I mean, it’s us…so fear a little. Anyway, subscribe to the Stuff feed or get this as a free email newsletter. Anyway you want it, that’s the way you need it.

  • It’s official. Ghost Brothers of Darkland County is back on the schedule at the Alliance here in Atlanta. Why should you care? It’s a musical with a score by John Mellencamp and book by Stephen King. T-Bone Burnett is musical director. Apparently a three-CD version of the musical has already been recorded with a full cast, which included Kris Kristofferson, Elvis Costello, Roseanne Cash, Mellencamp, King, Sheryl Crow, Neko Case and Joe Frazier (yes, the boxer). I want this album five minutes ago. Show dates? April 4-May 13, 2012. No, you can’t stay on my couch. Source.
  • Robin Williams is making his Broadway acting debut in a show called Bengal Tiger and the Baghdad Zoo. It opened officially on the 31st. Williams plays the title character, an actual tiger. However, Julie Taymor was not involved, so the tiger’s costume conceit is simply “homeless Robin Williams” instead of some insanely stylized tiger. All the info here. I have to make a New York trip soon. This is getting ridiculous.
  • Cartoon Network has unveiled some bits of interest. Source.
    • New Ben 10 series.
    • Clone Wars is renewed for a fourth season.
    • DC Nation will be a block of DC entertainment type stuff, probably including existing stuff. No idea what all it will exactly entail, but it’s hitting next year. The Green Lantern series will no doubt show up there.
    • How to Train Your Dragon will become an animated series.
    • A new Looney Tunes Show, which is a terrifying prospect.
    • The Thundercats remake which has a trailer making the rounds.
  • Clash of the Titans 2 has, in a desperate attempt to get anyone to give a shit, cast Bill Nighy as Hephaestus. Good casting. I’ll probably end up seeing it anyway, but Nighy couldn’t save the Pirates sequels, Warner Brothers. He’s good but he’s not that good. No one is that good, in fact. I’d relate the plot to you, but like that matters. Source.
  • Dirk Gently is getting three more hour-long episodes after the apparent success of the pilot that aired last year. I didn’t care for it myself, but if this gets more people to read the books, then so be it. Source.
  • New Doctor Who trailer is out. Apparently one of The Neil‘s lines is in this. I think I know which one, but he won’t confirm it.

    Direct link for the feedreaders.

  • Are you a fan of Downton Abbey? You’re not alone. The second season is in production and apparently the show’s been sold to 100+ territories. Source.

  • John Travolta will be playing John Gotti Sr. in Gotti: Three Generations with Nick Cassavetes directing. Gotti Jr. has given his blessing. Well, it wouldn’t be a good idea to make the film without that, would it? Source.
  • Green Lantern has a Tomar-Re, apparently. The IMDB had listed him as John Larroquette, but it’s actually Geoffrey Rush. I hope this movie is good. Again, Rush is not good enough to save truly crap films. See above Nighy-related comments. Source.

    Speaking of which, here’s the WonderCon footage. It’s…not terrible.

    Direct link for the feedreaders.

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  • Home Premiere is proof that Hollywood industry types are addicted to crack. It’s Warner Brothers, Fox, Sony and Universal and they’re going to let you rent a film for 48 hours a mere 60 days after it leaves cinemas…for the low, low price of $29.99. That’s right. And they’re leading off with Unknown and Just Go With It. Dear Hollywood: you are out of your goddamn minds. If anyone wants to see a film and spend money, they will see it during its theatrical run. Otherwise, they will wait until it hits DVD and own it for that price. If you wanted to chop that amount in half you might have a friend to talk to, but otherwise, please, just lay off the pipe. Cinema owners are pissed…I’m not sure why, it’s not like they keep movies in their houses for more than 60 days, anyway. But they’re going to…I dunno, stomp their feet. Book more live opera showings. You know: effective stuff. Source.
  • Sorry, folks. Due to contract negotiations and such, you will be getting a fifth season of Mad Men, but it won’t hit until next year. But word just recently is at least they came to a deal with the creator, so he’ll be back. Source.
  • The new Miss Marple is…Jennifer Garner? Can she at least be, I don’t know, her granddaughter or niece or…something? Source.
  • The Monsters Inc. sequel is apparently a prequel and has the title Monsters University. On one hand, prequel? On the other hand, hey, at least one very astute Animal House reference. Guaranteed. Source.
  • Phantom of the Opera is getting a new version via Cameron Mackintosh. Same show but new costumes, sets, and so forth. It will start on a tour early next year. Source.
  • Taken 2. It’s happening. With Liam Neeson. Nuff said. Source.
  • The Total Recall remake we previously mentioned has Colin Farrell in the lead with Bryan Cranston playing the bad guy. So should we start placing bets on who’s Kuato yet? I know they’ve changed the plot, but dammit, we gotta have a Kuato. Source.
  • A Transporter series is coming to Cinemax. I guess they’re tired of being the Skinemax channel and watching HBO and Showtime snag all the glory. Luc Besson is executive producing. Source.
  • They’ve changed the Wonder Woman costume (mentioned previously) based on the fact that people with functioning eyes looked at it and commented. You can go here to see the new version, which is 13% less crap than the previous one…but it’s still crap. Sorry, but it is. I do not look at Adrienne Palicki in that outfit and see a warrior. Just not buying it.
  • Home Video Releases

    Click the type of media in the description or the title to pre-order/order your copy from Amazon.

  • A Clockwork Orange is hitting Blu-Ray in a 2-Disc 40th Anniversary Edition on May 31st from Warner Brothers.
  • Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, the DC Universe Animated film, is hitting Blu-Ray and DVD on June 7th. It’s a Green Lantern Corps anthology of six stories. That’s out from Warner Brothers, naturally.
  • No Strings Attached, which wasn’t that bad and, incidentally, has been shown to instill in men a red pyjama fetish, hits from Paramount on DVD and Blu-Ray May 10th.
  • Platoon is hitting Blu-Ray on May 24th. BTW, did you know it stars Charlie Sheen? There you go.
  • Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology (1978-2006) is hitting from Warner Home Video on DVD and Blu-Ray June 7th. It has all five films plus the Donner cut of Superman II. It comes with twenty hours of bonus features. There’s no pre-order link for the Anthology on Blu-Ray yet. But stay tuned.
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